May 08, 2018

Hello














Progress through technology (19th century)

H-words

  • Catch each other’s attention
    • Hey, Ho: 13th century

    • Hi: 15th century

    • Hollo, Hillo, Holla, Halloo: 16th century
      • Shouts used in hunting
  • Greetings
    • Hal: Be healthy

    • Hail: 13th century

Hello

  • Spelling Difference
    • Hallo, Hello, Hillo, Hollo, Hullo
      Stress was on the second syllable, difficult to hear the quality of the first vowel.

    • Google Ngram Viewer

How Hello became Popular

Bell & Edison

Other Uses

  • I mean, hello! How crazy was that?
    Implying that someone has missed the point in some way.

Hi

  • USA: 19th century

  • Widely spread

  • Replace Hello?
    • Common in Email
    • Easier to type than 'Hello'

Disinterested














A confusible (17th century)

Disinterested vs. Uninterested

Dis- vs. Un-: History

  • 1750: Meanings completely overlap

Dis- vs. Un-: Modern

  • Disinterested: impartial, bored('incorrect', Oxford)

  • Uninterested: bored, unconcerned